IT consultancy
IT consultants range from major firms to one-man bands with great experience of managing IT - and both ends of that spectrum have a role to play in supporting IT leaders. We look at the latest trends and issues around IT consultancy, including how to make the most of freelance and contractor staff and IT advisory services.
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News
14 Nov 2024
Virtual wards to digital feedback: the Nordic approach to post-pandemic healthcare
Post-pandemic healthcare is benefitting from Nordic tech foresight, with the country bringing digital change to the world’s health sector to allow for more remote care Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Sep 2023
Interview: Ashish Gupta, head of EMEA, HCLTech
It’s not just enterprises that changed their operating models during and after Covid, but also the suppliers that took them on the journey, HCLTech Europe’s head explains Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: Protesters demand government halts April 2020 roll-out date
With contractors due to stage an anti-IR35 reform protest march at the Houses of Parliament today, stakeholders pen open letter to the Chancellor outlining their concerns about how the changes are affecting the self-employed sector Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: Research suggests 75% of contractors will leave posts by April 2020
Just eight weeks before the IR35 reforms are due to be extended to the private sector, new research suggests contractors are planning to vote with their feet and leave their positions as blanket bans take hold Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2020
Australian government to roll out SAP S/4 Hana
Australia’s finance department earmarks S/4 Hana as its ERP system to provide common financial and HR services across government Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: HMRC confirms last-minute tweak to incoming off-payroll rules
The government is rolling out a tweak to the IR35 private sector reforms that it claims will give businesses more time to prepare, but stakeholders are unconvinced Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2020
IR35 reforms subject to pre-Budget inquiry as self-employed hit by crisis of confidence
The House of Lords’ Economic Affairs Committee is calling for an immediate inquiry into the real-world impacts of the IR35 reforms on private sector businesses and contractors Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2020
Record-breaking rise in global cloud infrastructure spend between Q3 and Q4
Synergy Research Group’s fourth-quarter look at the cloud infrastructure market reveals a huge jump in sequential spend since the third quarter Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2020
Cost-cutting and digital transformation spur increased European IT outsourcing in 2019
The need to rein in costs while digitally transforming has led to growth in traditional and as-a-service base outsourcing Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: BP contractors notified of incoming ban on PSCs
BP is understood to have begun notifying its self-employed workforce about its plans to terminate PSC engagements from 31 March 2020, in anticipation of the IR35 reforms coming into play the following month Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2020
Inside DXC Technology’s APAC playbook
DXC Technology’s CTO for Asia-Pacific talks up efforts to support the region’s enterprises that are in varying stages of digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2020
IR35 reforms are 'demonising' contractors and locking them out of work, chancellor warned
The CEO of online accountancy consultancy InniAccounts has written to the chancellor of the exchequer, Sajid Javid, to call for legislation to be passed that will ensure enterprises take time to individually assess tax status of contractors Continue Reading
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27 Jan 2020
Loan charge under review: IT contractors slam government's planned policy revamp
The IT contractor community shares its verdict on the UK government's plans to revamp its controversial loan charge policy, which has left thousands of people facing life-changing tax bills and financial ruin. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: Recruitment industry urges chancellor to halt April 2020 roll-out
Major players from the UK recruitment industry want the government to delay plans to roll out the IR35 reforms to the private sector so enterprises have more time to prepare Continue Reading
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News
20 Jan 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: IBM joins list of enterprises applying blanket ban to PSCs
Tech giant IBM has notified its personal service company IT contractors that they must switch to PAYE terms or use umbrella companies from the end of March, as the private sector races to achieve IR35 compliance Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2020
IR35 private sector reforms: Blanket bans ‘devalue’ IT contractor contributions to digital projects
James Poyser, CEO of contractor-focused online accountancy firm InniAccounts, claims large firms that are failing to assess contractors fairly will lose out in productivity, reputation and talent retention Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2020
Loan charge under review: IT contractors slam government's planned policy revamp
The IT contractor community shares its verdict on the UK government's plans to revamp its controversial loan charge policy, which has left thousands of people facing life-changing tax bills and financial ruin Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2020
UK tech sector leads global growth in 2019
Venture capital and foreign investment in the UK’s tech sector is at an all-time high, benefiting both early-stage and already-mature businesses Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
New GDPR service aims to ease compliance challenges
Security consultants claim their software platform will address a pressing need for an effective and efficient means of complying with data protection rules Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2020
Government confirms IR35 private sector reforms under review ahead of April 2020 start date
Government honours pledge to embark on a review of its plans to extend the IR35 off-payroll rules to the private sector that will focus on ensuring the changes are introduced in a “smooth” way in April 2020 Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2019
Loan charge review results: Government agrees to policy amendments to cut tax bills of 30,000 people
The government has announced a package of amendments to the loan charge policy that will remove 11,000 people from its scope, and cut the tax bills of 30,000 others Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2019
HM Treasury mulls loan charge review findings, but will not confirm public release date
Contractor community frustrated by lack of concrete release date for review as loan charge settlement date of 31 January 2020 looms Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2019
Release of loan charge review must be prioritised by new government, urge IT contractors
With prime minister Boris Johnson expected to announce a reshuffle of his new-look government today, IT contracting stakeholders are calling for the publication of the loan charge review to be prioritised and for the 31 January 2020 settlement date to be postponed Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2019
New government faces calls to urgently deliver on pre-election pledge to review IR35 reforms
Contracting groups and trade associations say prime minister Boris Johnson must deliver on his party’s pledge to review the IR35 reforms and allay fears that it was an empty promise made to secure votes Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2019
IR35 private sector reforms: GSK gives contractors 'quit or go PAYE' ultimatum
Pharmaceutical giant GSK confirms limited company contractors will be phased out from its workforce from early 2020, as it rushes to comply with the private sector IR35 reforms Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2019
Private sector warned off delaying IR35 reform prep as Conservative Party promises review
The Conservative Party has followed in the footsteps of the Liberal Democrats, The Labour Party and the Scottish National Party by committing to a review of the IR35 reforms Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2019
Labour SME minister back-tracks over claims party will scrap IR35 reforms if it comes to power
Shadow small business secretary Bill Esterson clarifies comments he made during an event this week that suggested Labour had made halting the roll-out of the IR35 reforms to the private sector policy Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2019
Conservatives urged to join Labour, Lib Dems and SNP in committing to post-election IR35 review
With several major political parties making pre-election pledges to conduct a review of the IR35 tax avoidance reforms, pressure is growing on the Tories to follow suit Continue Reading
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News
26 Nov 2019
Revamped HMRC IR35 status checker tool still lacks key functionality, contractor groups claim
HMRC releases an updated version of its IR35 tax status checker tool, CEST, to accommodate the onset of the tax avoidance reforms being rolled out to the private sector, but contracting stakeholders claim it still lacks basic functionality Continue Reading
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25 Nov 2019
Loan charge under review: The 20-year retroactive tax policy pushing IT contractors to the brink
Thousands of IT contractors are at risk of financial ruin as HMRC pursues them for tax it claims they owe on work they did up to two decades ago and were reimbursed for via loan remuneration schemes. Computer Weekly investigates. Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Nov 2019
Life under the loan charge: An IT contractor’s story
Thousands of IT contractors are being pursued by HMRC for “life-changing” tax bills for work they did up to 20 years ago, as part of a disguised remuneration clampdown known as the loan charge policy. One of those affected anonymously shares his take on what it’s like to live with a six-figure tax demand hanging over you Continue Reading
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E-Zine
21 Nov 2019
CW Nordics: Automation pays off for Sweden’s social workers
Software robots are freeing up time for social workers in Sweden to help benefits claimants find employment and to receive the money they are entitled to. Also in this issue, read how Sweden’s SEB bank is using a Google-inspired, cloud-native core banking platform, and why India is leading the pack when it comes to IT outsourcing from the Nordic countries. Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2019
Lib Dem election manifesto: Party vows to scrap loan charge and review IR35 private sector reforms
The Liberal Democrats’ General Election manifesto sees the party pledge to scrap the controversial loan charge policy, and undertake a review of the IR35 private sector reforms Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Nov 2019
Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 37
In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team talks about the Labour Party’s “free fibre broadband for all” pre-election pledge, HMRC’s controversial loan charge policy, big data and catches up on what went on at the most recent CW500 Club event Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
IR35 reforms put IT contractors at risk of 'second wave' of loan charge-like tax bills, experts warn
Concerns raised over re-emergence of umbrella firms targeting IT contractors with loan-based remuneration schemes ahead of the private sector IR35 reforms coming into play Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2019
Loan charge under review: The 20-year retroactive tax policy pushing IT contractors to the brink
Thousands of IT contractors are at risk of financial ruin as HMRC pursues them for tax it claims they owe on work they did up to two decades ago and were reimbursed for via loan remuneration schemes. Computer Weekly investigates Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Nov 2019
Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 36
In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team pick talk about General Election tech, HMRC's “war” on IT contractors, diversity in STEM and how organisations can fight back against fake online reviews Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Nov 2019
Security in the supply chain – a post-GDPR approach
A year and a half after the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, Fieldfisher's James Walsh reviews the fundamentals of supply chain security Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
IR35 tribunal rules HMRC wrong to pursue ex-DWP IT contractor for £240,000 in unpaid employment tax
HMRC has vowed to appeal against the outcome of an IR35 tribunal that ruled it should not be pursuing an ex-DWP and Accenture IT contractor for more than £240,000 in unpaid tax as his engagements classify him as self-employed Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
NHS Digital hit with £4.3m IR35-related tax bill after using HMRC CEST tool to assess contractors
The digital arm of the NHS used HMRC's much-maligned online tool to assess contractors, only for the tax agency to call into question its IR35 determinations and hit it with a tax bill totalling £4.3m Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2019
IR35 reforms: Concerns raised over private sector’s lack of preparedness for April 2020 start date
As the countdown towards the IR35 reforms coming into force in the private sector continues, research by recruitment firm Hays draws concerns over an apparent lack of awareness and preparation amongst enterprises Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2019
NordVPN enlists ethical hackers, launches bug bounty programme
Breached consumer VPN supplier details steps it is taking to shore up its cyber security posture after an unknown actor gained access to one of its servers Continue Reading
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29 Oct 2019
IR35 private sector preparation: What the banks’ take on the reforms means for IT contractors
With six months until IR35 tax avoidance reforms are extended to the private sector, a number of financial services firms are thinning out their contractor workforce – is that the way to ensure compliance? Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2019
Nordic industrial giants continue to choose Indian suppliers for digital transformation
HCL signs new deals with Volvo Cars and Equinor as India-based IT services suppliers continue to grow in the Nordic region Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2019
European companies hold back outsourcing amid recession fears
Total outsourcing in Europe plummeted in the third quarter this year, compared with the previous three months Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2019
IR35 private sector preparation: What the banks’ take on the reforms means for IT contractors
With six months until IR35 tax avoidance reforms are extended to the private sector, a number of financial services firms are thinning out their contractor workforce – is that the way to ensure compliance? Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Oct 2019
Data management strategies are evolving – so must enterprises
A growing number of data-driven initiatives, alongside heightened demand for security in governance, data management and compliance, has led to the rise of a more holistic approach – integrated risk management Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2019
HMRC extends contract with Capgemini but embeds flexibility
Department’s technology sourcing programme seeks to access the services of more tech providers, including SMEs and startups Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2019
IR35 reforms will prompt Barclays to re-engage contractors on PAYE terms, 'leaked email' suggests
Barclays is understood to have notified line managers via email on 30 September 2019 of its plans to phase out use of limited company contractors, ahead of the IR35 private sector reforms coming into force in April 2020 Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2019
Private sector warned of ‘brain drain’ risk by putting off prep for April 2020 start of IR35 reforms
Legal firm warns private sector companies about the risks of putting off preparations for the IR35 reforms that take effect next year Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2019
GDPR compliance: Whose job is it and is it really possible?
Nobody seems to have a good handle on business GDPR compliance, how many businesses are compliant, or indeed what compliance really is, but according to security experts, it very much depends on who you talk to Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2019
Latest Lorca cyber security challenge has IoT focus
Government-backed cyber security innovation centre Lorca has issued new challenges around connectivity for its next intake of scaleups Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2019
Drive for Nordic datacentre transformation
Nordic enterprises looking to spread abroad are outsourcing datacentre IT in cutting-edge ways to gain international advantage Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2019
Nordic IT outsourcing: why India is leading the pack
A rising tide lifts all ships when it comes to outsourcing in Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, but some ships have risen faster than others Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2019
HMRC under fire over 'scaremongering' IR35 clampdown letters targeting GSK IT contractors
GSK contractors that have received “scaremongering” letters from HMRC, urging them to review their engagements with the company from an IR35 perspective, are being urged not to panic, as the missives have no legal basis, claim experts Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2019
Middle East businesses welcome Amazon Web Services region launch
Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, links Middle East to AWS's global network and will help to accelerate digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2019
French and German companies have contrasting fortunes in India
France is racing ahead of Germany when it comes to making the most of service companies in India Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2019
Draft finance bill dims hopes of private sector reprieve on April 2020 roll-out of IR35 reforms
Publication of the draft IR35 private sector reform legislation dims hopes the government might announce a delay to rolling out the changes in April 2020 Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2019
NTT picks London for newly formed global business
NTT says unifying its various units under one umbrella and basing it in London will help it take full advantage of both its clients’ demands for joined up digital services, and the capital’s booming tech economy Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2019
Three Finnish banks, one core IT platform
Can a shared core IT platform enable three Finnish banks to become more efficient yet maintain individual competitiveness? Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2019
Release date clarification sought for revamped CEST tool as private sector IR35 reforms near
HMRC is under growing pressure to say when its revamped IR35 online tax status tool will be released, as stakeholders air grievances over current issues with the answers it produces Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2019
HCL delivers digital services to Cricket Australia
Cricket governing body chooses Indian IT supplier to expand the boundaries of its customer engagement platforms Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2019
Finland’s Tieto and Norway’s Evry merge to fend off competition from Indian suppliers
Two of the Nordic region's biggest IT suppliers merge as competition in their home region increases Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2019
HMRC urged to delay April 2020 extension of IR35 rules to private sector by 'at least' 12 months
An analysis of the responses HMRC has reportedly received to its consultation on extending the IR35 tax avoidance reforms to the private sector suggests the tax agency is coming under pressure to put its plans on hold for at least 12 months Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2019
IT outsourcing is increasing, but not as we know it
IT outsourcing is growing in the UK, as organisations spend more as part of their digital transformations Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
Finland’s Tieto reorganises to grab growth opportunities
Tieto is cutting costs as part of its growth plan that will see hundreds of job cuts in Finland and Sweden Continue Reading
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News
14 May 2019
Public sector outsourcing spend plummets
Private sector outsourcing dominated spending in the UK during the first quarter of 2019 Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2019
Technical error on Capita system puts Barnet council staff out of pocket
A system error that led to Barnet council staff being incorrectly paid is the latest complaint about a back-office outsourcing contract with Capita Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Apr 2019
What Belarus offers the tech sector
Belarus might not be as well known for its IT as some of its neighbours, but it is pushing its head above the parapet Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2019
National Savings and Investments makes £300m extension to Atos deal
UK government-owned savings bank adds three years to IT services contract with French supplier Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2019
New Accenture-Microsoft group to sharpen industry focus
Accenture-Microsoft business group will deliver industry-specific offerings and consulting services to enterprises that lean towards Microsoft technologies Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2019
IBM’s APAC CEO talks up next chapter of cloud adoption
In the next phase of cloud adoption, enterprises will need to manage multiple cloud environments, as well as data to scale up their use of artificial intelligence technology Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2019
Keep pace with device management with DaaS
Adoption of device-as-a-service offerings is expected to improve as more enterprises migrate to Windows 10 over the next two years Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2019
IBM deal to drive Nordea’s IT-led transformation
Nordea is expanding its relationship with IBM through a deal that will give it access to the skills and resources required to keep pace with the digital revolution in banking Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2019
NHS software deal tops public sector spending on new IT contracts in 2018
Department of Health’s Windows 10 contract was the biggest public sector deal signed last year Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2019
Bank of England to migrate from core system with a one-off big bang
The Bank of England will migrate from its current core settlement system with a 'big-bang' migration before the end of 2025 Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Feb 2019
Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 4
In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team covers Matt Hancock’s bid to get the NHS to embrace email, the government’s push to extend IR35 to the private sector, and how technology can transform staff training Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2019
UK’s IT and BPO spend plummets because of Brexit uncertainty
UK businesses cut their investment in IT and business process outsourcing last year because of confusion over Brexit, but there was a 68% rise in public sector spending Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2019
Australian government turns to Rimini Street for software support
A slew of Australian government agencies have switched out SAP and Oracle maintenance contracts for third-party support services Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2019
IT leaders grapple with workforce skills gap as they deploy AI and digital technology
Organisations will have to find new ways of reskilling their workforce as they get to grips with artificial intelligence and other digital technologies. CIOs also need to keep their skills updated if they are to succeed Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2019
Hong Kong’s JOS eyes Singapore IT services market
The IT services firm claims to have an edge in being less rigid than larger rivals in pushing for specific IT implementation methodologies that may not suit the needs of mid-tier customers Continue Reading
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News
23 Jan 2019
Finnish banks to share core banking platform and supplier
Three banks in Finland have hired an IT services supplier to build a shareable core banking platform Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2019
Siemens connects to world’s largest UCC deployment
German technology powerhouse Siemens AG reveals how it unified communications and collaboration for hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide Continue Reading
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News
28 Dec 2018
Top 10 HR technology stories of 2018
Companies are turning to artificial intelligence, robotic automation and chatbots to take the drudgery out of human resource management Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2018
Financial services giant transforms application delivery through HCL
Dutch financial services firm Aegon is outsourcing the management of its fintech supplier network Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Nov 2018
An IR35 survival guide for employers and contractors
Forthcoming changes to IR35 regulations will affect most private sector companies using IT contractors – so what do you need to do to prepare? Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2018
Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management turn to Workday to complete merger
Standard Life Aberdeen, created in August 2017 when two of Scotland’s largest financial services companies merged, is transferring 3,000 former Standard Life staff to Aberdeen Asset Management’s Workday HR system as it integrates the two businesses Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2018
The Gym Group flexes its muscles with data analytics
No-frills fitness company The Gym Group is using analytics technology to find insights from its financial, HR and membership data, as it limbers up for rapid expansion in the UK Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2018
BT makes progress with Global Services restructuring
Telco sets out plan to get its troubled Global Services business unit fighting fit Continue Reading
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News
30 Oct 2018
How Avanade keeps pace with Microsoft and the market
Systems integrator Avanade has had to adapt to Microsoft’s evolution into an “ecosystem platform” that includes open-source software Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2018
Finnish city Espoo trials artificial intelligence for community support
The authorities for Finnish city Espoo are testing out AI technology to help them target services at the residents who need them most Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2018
Atos and Google open London-based digital innovation centre to boost enterprise adoption of AI
Atos and Google follow up the news of their global joint push to increase enterprise use of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies by opening London-based innovation centre Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2018
Airbus secures European institutions against cyber threat
Airbus CyberSecurity has partnered with Atos to help protect 17 European government institutes from cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Indian IT giant TCS sees IBM and Accenture as nearest rivals
Rapidly-growing Tata Consultancy Services has its eyes on the US IT giants, with customer service key if it is to overtake them Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 Sep 2018
Your IT provider is being acquired – what does this mean for you and your business?
Merger and acquisition activity is widespread in the IT sector, but what does it mean for you when one of your key tech suppliers is bought up by another firm? Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2018
No Deal Brexit papers warn of stark future for UK tech
The government has published the first of its No Deal Brexit contingency planning notices, containing sobering messages for the UK technology industry Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2018
IR35 tech compliance will take private sector 'over a year' to achieve, warns accounting trade body
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) cautions HM Revenue & Customs against rushing out IR35 reforms to the private sector, claiming it will take most businesses at least one tax year to ready their software systems for the move Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2018
Government outsourcing at a crossroads, says PAC report
The government needs to change the market that supplies it with services through better contracting practices if it is to achieve anything beyond lowest price, according to a PAC report Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2018
Interview: Pippa Thomas, regional IT director, Freeman Clarke
Freeman Clarke’s regional IT director, Pippa Thomas, on the role of interim CIOs and why organisations use them Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2018
ITPS expands datacentre to support Azure Stack and HPC
Datacentre company ITPS expands its County Durham facility to meet client needs for high performance computing and security Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2018
Brexit proposal calls for standards alignment and data sharing
Although the government’s Brexit whitepaper focuses on curbing immigration, collaboration on cyber crime, data sharing and services are among the bargaining chips Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2018
Analysts question Australia government’s IBM deal
Industry analysts and experts have called the wisdom of the A$1bn IBM IT deal into question, with one claiming that the federal government should have used a range of suppliers instead Continue Reading